Sales tax register



Nov; 9, 1937. c. H. WHITACRE SALES TAX REGISTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Filed July 1, 1935- glwuc ntoc 8.15. W/L Za/c 7 '6,

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9 1937- c. H. WHITACRE 2,098,896

SALES TAX REGISTER Filed July 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention consists of a sales tax register adapted for the reception of coins of difierent denominations.

In the present invention, I utilize apparatus of simple construction which automatically operates by gravitation of the coins deposited in the register, the latter being sealed to prevent tampering.

In states which have levied sales taxes, a burden is imposed upon merchants in keeping an accurate record of the taxes due the Government on the sale of commodities which have been taxed, especially where the commodities are sold in large quantities and the tax is small. It is, therefore, the object of my invention to provide a suitable registering mechanism in conjunction with a receptacle for the tax coins whereby an immediate record is made of the collection of the tax upon the consummation of the. sale, the registering mechanism being suitably sealed and ()0 the coin receiving portion of the register freely accessible to permit the coins to be removed with facility, without in any way disturbing the registering mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sales tax register constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the register showing to advantage the registering mechanism of the present invention, and also showing to advantage the coin receiving compartments in the bottom of the register.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the registering mechanism in end elevation together with the spring lock which normally holds said mechanism from movement.

0 Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the registering mechanism in top plan, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the spring 45 looking arms of the present invention.

The register of the present invention consists of a housing generally designated 6, the housing including a base 1 upon which is superimposed a casing 8, one end of which is adapted for the 60 reception of a coin receiving till or drawer 9, the latter being divided into compartments by partitions Ill. The till or drawer 9 may be equipped with a hand hold H to facilitate sliding movement of the drawer in the cas 55 ing. Rising upwardly from the top of the casing 8 is a cover l2 which, by preference is fixedly secured to the top of the case 8 and recedes from the margins of the latter. The front of the cover is provided with an opening 13, across which a transparent panel I4 of Cellophane, glass, 5 mica or other suitable material is secured, as illustrated to advantage in Figs. 3 and 4.

Mounted on top of the casing 8 and extending upwardly within the cover H and through the upper wall of the latter is a coin chute l5. In 10 the present instance, the chute is formed from a sheet of metal, the free ends of which are fixedly engaged to the casing, while the intermediate portions of the sheet are arranged in parallel relation and spaced by bars l6. Between the 5 bars iii, a series of coin passageways I! are provided, each of which registers with a complemental opening I8 formed in the top of the casing 8 so as to place the coin passageways in communication with the compartments of the 20 drawer or till 9. The front wall of the chute I5, above the cover 12, is provided with a plurality of circular openings [9 of a size complementing coins which are adapted to be urged therethrough. Each of the openings l9 communi- 25 cates with the coin passageway l1, consequently coins which are passed through the opening I!) will gravitate through the passageway H, the opening [8 and into the drawer 9.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide 30 suitable means to interrupt the passage of coins through the chute, said means consisting of registering mechanism, generally designated 20, and the other means consisting of a lock, generally designated 2|, which cooperates with the regis- 3 tering mechanism in a manner more fully hereinafter described.

The registering mechanism consists of any standard type of register of the cyclometer type, Such as indicated in the drawings at 22. Each of the registering elements 22 is secured to the chute l5. Preferably, each of the elements 22 includes a plate 23, which carries bolts 24, the latter having their free ends passed through the chute and partitions [6 as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 4. The elements 22, are spaced from the chute by suitable spacing sleeves 25 so as to center said elements. When so positioned the elements 22, are arranged directly in back of the transparent panel l4 so that the numerals of each cyclometer are clearly legible through the panel.

Each of the cyclometers 22 is provided with an axial shaft 26, the free end of which carries a wheel 21. Each of the wheels 21 includes a plurality of radial spokes 28, the free ends of which intersect one of the passageways ii when the wheel is rotated. Consequently, a coin passing through the chute will contact a spoke of the wheel 27, causing movement of the latter and correspondingly operating the cyclometer 22.

It is necessary that the wheels 2'! be held in a predetermined position so as to positively intercept coins passing through the chute and I have for this purpose provided the locking means M. This means in the present instance consists of an arm or bar 29, one end of which carries a resilient plate 3%. As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings one extreme end of the plate 3i? is secured to an extreme end of the bar or arm 29, while the opposite extreme end of the plate is anchored. to the chute 55, by an angle bolt 3!. Each of the angle bolts 3i extend through the chute and one of the bars it, the opposite ends thereof projecting upwardly through the top wall of the cover i i and secured to the latter by jam nuts 32. The upper outer end of each of the bolts is provided with an opening into which a sealed connection 33 is mounted, it being necessary to break the seal before one of the nuts 32 can be removed from the bolt. In this way possibility of tampering with the mechanism is reduced to minimum. The opposite ends of the arm or bar is formed to provide a detent 34% adapted to ride over the hub of a wheel with which it is engaged and to move into openings formed in the hub at the base of the spokes 23. In this manner, the wheel is locked from movement. Each of the bars or arms 29 is also provided with a finger 35, the free end of which is beveled as indicated at 55, and normally rests in one of the coin passageways l? of the coin chute. The location of the beveled end of the finger is lust above its wheel spoke, whereby a coin passed housing,

through the chute will first engage the finger 35 so as to urge the detent 34 out of engagement with the wheel hub immediately following which the coin engages a spoke of the wheel. This rotates the wheel until the next opening in the wheel hub reaches the zone of the arm detent 34, which latter falls into said opening under the spring pressure of the bar or arm 29.

I have shown a recorder adapted for coins of three denominations and have provided coin passageways for the coins of each denomination, also a registering mechanism for the coins of each denomination, and a locking means for the coins of each denomination, as well as a separate coin compartment in the till 9. It is, of course,

to be understood, however, that the number of these may be increased or diminished without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is furthermore to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts within the scope of the claim hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

A register including a housing provided with a coin chute, a wheel rotatably mounted in the the wheel including spokes the free terminals of which project into the coin chute, a bar one end of which issues into a resilient plate attached to the chute, the opposite end being in yieldable engagement with said wheel to normally secure the latter from movement, a member on the bar extending into the chute to be engaged by a coin passing through said chute to release the bar from engagement with said wheel, and means driven by the wheel to register when the wheel moves under the weight of the coin.

a C. H. WHITACRE. 

